Is Car Toys steering a path to home theater?
Word that the 52-store mobile electronics chain had joined the home A/V-oriented Progressive Retailers Organization (PRO Group) last month begged the question. (See TWICE, May 22, p. 4.)
But Dan Brettler, chairman and CEO of Car Toys, has put the brakes on any speculation. “We have absolutely no intention of going into the home audio or the home theater business. Zero,” he emphatically told TWICE.
Rather, Car Toys was “recruited” by executive director Dave Workman and other PRO Group members, Brettler said. “They work with a few car stereo vendors,” he noted. “There was enough value for us to join, and we think the general direction of the group and the value we bring will enhance those opportunities.”
Brettler added that some of the newer car stereo products, including navigation, portable video and iPod connectivity devices, are “hybrid” in nature, and lend themselves to both home and mobile applications.
Indeed, senior merchandising VP Dan Jeancola, late of Tweeter, noted that “We see a big shift this year in home and portable listening,” as more consumers opt for home, boombox and headphone-stereo docking stations (see TWICE, April 24, p. 31).
